At least four soldiers have been confirmed dead in the shootout between rival factions of the military. Ten others have been hospitalised. Nine civilians who got hit by stray bullets are also admitted at the CWM hospital.

The dead include one from the rival faction taking over the barracks.

The faction loyal to the Commander, including the navy and the army training group, stormed the barracks this evening at 6:20 p.m. and eventually managed to take control of the barrack after heavy artillery fire. Twenty soldiers of the rival faction escaped with arms, mostly M-16 and K-2 rifles, and are now around Suva. The 20 are from the counter-revolutionary warfare unit.

Five rivals had escaped during the day and were captured as they headed towards Nausori airport.

After the storming the military freed the five officers who were taken hostage by the rival faction. Some of...

SUVA, Fiji Islands (November 2, 2000 –Wansolwara/ Pasifik Nius)---Five soldiers were wounded as shooting continued today at the Fiji military headquarters at Queen Elizabeth Barracks on the outskirts of the capital of Suva.

The five casualties included one rebel officer of the now disbanded Counter Revolutionary Warfare unit and four Fiji Military Forces officers.

Local radio station FM 96 reported that members of the CRW have taken over the 3rd Fiji Infantry Regiment Armory, the largest in the barracks.

According to the radio report, the military commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, had escaped from the military barracks unhurt.

He was seen by local residents emerging from the bush with personal bodyguards. He was rushed into a four-wheel-drive vehicle and driven to safety.

The Interim Home Affairs Minister, Ratu Talemo Ratakele, has called on Fiji Islanders to remain calm and stay indoors...

Last week, the New Zealand Parliamentarian Group for West Papua was formed in Wellington, sponsored by MPs from the New Zealand Green, Alliance and Labour parties.

Today, November 2, 2000, the Australian Parliamentarian Group for West Papua was established in Federal Parliament House, Canberra, co-sponsored by representatives of all political parties.

Senator Bob Brown from the Green Party, who initiated this establishment, underlined that one of the mayor objectives of this group is to raise a debate about the political future of the people of West Papua in the Australian Parliament and community.

In a briefing, John Kocknak, representative of the West Papuan Liberation Army (TEPENAL), who now is touring in Australia, told the Senators and MPs that such a group is very vital indeed, because it inspires our people.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (November 1, 2000 – Post-Courier/PINA Nius Online)---A delegation of international investors will be visiting major oil and gas project sites in Papua New Guinea in the middle of this month, says Oil Search managing director Peter Botten.

He said Oil Search would host the delegation.

Mr. Botten told the Post-Courier that the delegation would include 10 investors from major institutions and investment houses in the United States, Europe and Australia.

He said the visit is especially timely given the present status of the PNG gas project and exploration and development activities now taking place in the country, as well as the privatization process being carried out by the government.

"It represents an ideal opportunity to show these investors the merits of continued and increased investment in the country, as well as the world class oil and gas operations that are present here," Mr. Botten said.

OUTRIGGER GUAM RESORT PRESENTS "PUNTAN PULAN" IN NOVEMBER – AN ART EXHIBIT FEATURING TWO OF GUAM’S MOST PROMISING ARTISTS

In November, the Outrigger Guam Resort presents PUNTAN PULAN – "To Watch Over" - an exhibit depicting the unique culture and majestic heritage of the Chamorro people in solar-etched wood.

The exhibit features the works of two of Guam’s promising artists, brothers Joseph Blas Viloria and Raymond Blas Viloria.

PUNTAN PULAN will be on display in the upper level of the Flying Proa Lounge beginning Saturday, November 11, 2000, through Friday, November 24, 2000.

Joseph Blas Viloria began his foray into the art of wood burning in 1980 with the use of a magnifying glass - a process that produces a laser-beam affect that allows the artist to burn on wood without physically touching the material. Although Viloria had no formal training in this art form, he took what this new approach...

JAKARTA, Indonesia (November 1, 2000 – Joyo Indonesian News/Kabar-Irian)---Indonesian police in Irian Jaya on Wednesday postponed implementing an order to pull down all separatist flags in the restive province until next week, to allow talks to be held with pro-independence leaders.

President Abdurrahman Wahid last week ordered the lowering of all "Morning Star" flags, and officials had said the deadline was November 1, sparking fears of violence between security forces and the province's increasingly vocal independence supporters.

But Irian Jaya police chief Silvanus Wenas said authorities wanted to avoid conflict in removing the remaining flags, and would discuss the issue with independence leaders grouped under an umbrella body called the Papua Presidium on November 9.

"We will postpone the lowering of all the flags until November 9, when the presidium can meet us with their full leadership," Wenas told Reuters by telephone from...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (November 2, 2000 - The National/PINA Nius Online)---At least two pylons carrying power from the Hides gas field in the Southern Highlands to the Porgera gold mine in Enga province have been felled, sources said.

The incident, which occurred last Friday, resulted in the cutting off of the power supply to Porgera. The mine had to switch to its generators to power its operations, the sources said.

The sources said that without knowing who is responsible for the damage, it is difficult to say whether the incident is connected to the decision by the national government to withdraw the powers of the Southern Highlands provincial government.

The Porgera gold mine uses power generated from gas from the Hides fields and transported via the pylons, for its operations. As of yesterday, the mine was still using its diesel generators, the sources said.

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.